Our big, number 1 thing to do in Saigon Vietnam is the Cu Chi Tunnels tour and Cao Dai temple visit as a 1 day tour from Ho Chi Minh City. This post covers the best way to get to the Cu Chi tunnels, take a tour of the tunnels, and visit a Cao Dai Temple on the way. This is a full-day tour but half-day tours, visiting just the Cu Chi Tunnels also exist from Saigon. The best way to book these tours, we think, is to use the buttons below which will take you to the booking site of the company we used. The rest of our post is about this day trip from Saigon, and what it’s like to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, with photos and video.
Book a Cu Chi Tunnels Tour Here
Book a full-day private tour to Cu Chi here.
Book a half day Cu Chi Tour here.
The group tour is obviously the cheapest way to do it. It’s also possible to combine Cu Chi with a Mekong Delta tour from Ho Ch Minh, for that option, you need this link.
We took this tour as young backpackers many years ago, it was so good we did it again with the kids. It was a stand-out day from our first RTW and we knew the kids would get a lot from it. I wasn’t going to let them fire an AK47 at the Cu Chi shooting range as I did back then, but still, I knew this tour would be fantastic for kids, they’d have fun and learn a lot.
So here’s our review of our Cu Chi Tunnels Tour plus Cao Dai Temple, we decided to book this tour through Get Your Guide, for simplicity and reliability. You can read why we choose to use Get Your Guide often, here.
If you want more information on travel in Vietnam, our full Vietnam travel blog and guide is now ready for you.
Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple Tour Video
Visitors can choose to visit these two attractions singly, shorter tours are available. Cu Chi Tunnels is easy to visit as a half day tour but the Cao Dai Temple really has to be visited for the noon ceremony. It’s a fair way and we did spend quite some time on the mini bus. There was air-con and there was free wi-fi along with commentary and great information from our tour guide.
We chose to book through Get Your Guide for no hassle, everything included, a guaranteed date and their best price guarantee. These tours can also be arranged through any local travel agent, be sure to shop around and bargain over price and what’s included.
Cu Chi Tunnels Tour
The Cu Chi tunnels are part of an immense network of underground tunnels, hiding places, supply routes, living quarters and more to be found in Vietnam. Cu Chi District is part of Ho Chi Minh City.
You will learn how the tunnels were constructed, how they were used and what life was like for the Vietnamese during the war. The first time we visited, back in 1999, there were two actual tunnel sections open to tourists. One was an enlarged “Western-sized” tunnel, the second was an actual Vietnamese-sized tunnel.
On our visit in 2017 we were only invited to enter one tunnel segment, some enlarged, some fairly tight. You will also see a selection of weapons and traps and discover how the Vietnamese fighters cooked without detection, made their famous sandals, what they ate and what they wore.
The Cu Chi Tunnels Shooting Range
During our tour in 1999 we paid $1 per bullet to fire an AK47 at targets. It was live ammunition, stored in a battered old desk drawer and it was a lot of dangerous fun.
For the record, I almost broke my jaw with the recoil but still loved the experience. During our 2017 tour this shooting range was shut.
There was no mention of the shooting range in our Get Your Guide itinerary, but others on our bus had booked thinking they’d get the chance to fire guns.
I was glad it was shut, telling small boys they can’t fire AK47 s wasn’t something I was looking forward to.
The shooting range is still there and I saw signs advertising paintball so maybe it’s been re-purposed.
Cao Dai Temple Tour
The Cao Dai religion (Caodaism ) is unique to southern Vietnam and was established in 1926, this temple was built by the French around that time.
It’s something completely different and rather mysterious.
The Cao Dai pantheon of Holy people or saints and sages includes: Buddha, Jesus, Joan of Arc, Muhammad, Julius Caesar and Victor Hugo.
The women chanting in the video above are actually reciting the Bible but it’s almost impossible to decipher with their accents.
Cao Dai blends Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism and Islam and the holy books of the faith have to be kept in the US because of government mistrust.
It is the 3rd largest religion in Vietnam and the temple you will visit is absolutely stunning.
Additional Visit, Craft Facility for the Disabled
This stop wasn’t included in our stated itinerary and was a ploy to get us to buy, but we enjoyed it.
The techniques the artists and craftspeople used to turn crushed duck eggs and sea shells into lacquered art works were interesting to watch and it was another reminder of the raised incidence of disability in Vietnam, still, after Agent Orange.
We saw the tour as an added bonus and there was no hard sell.
Cu Chi Tunnels Tour and Cao Dai Temple Visit Review
The tour and our day were a huge success, the boys loved the tunnels and forgave us for the rather long drive time. We were picked up by our guide around 8 am allowing us time for breakfast at our hotel.
He gave us priceless insights into Vietnamese culture and traditions during our bus journey and was knowledgeable and helpful at every step.
Our lunch was included, along with a drink and we enjoyed a selection of dishes rather than having to choose one item from the menu ( and paying for it) as the others on our bus had to do.
We did not have to pay our admission fees at the tunnels, everyone else did.
More Vietnam content from us, for you,
- What else to do in Saigon / Ho Chi Minh? Plus where to stay.
- Vietnam Travel Guide and Tips
- Vietnamese Food, for Beginners!
- 10 Best Dishes to Eat in Vietnam!
Cu Chi Tunnels, An Educational Tour for Kids
We’re in Vietnam to learn about Vietnam and the Vietnam or American War is a big part of that.
We started by watching a few movies and finding content on YouTube. The book below is one for parents to read, I read it years ago.
On this tour, you will pass near Kim Phuc’s (the girl in the picture) village and the exact spot where this iconic war photo was taken. It’s good to be able to tell the kids this story.
Her family were Cao Dai followers, they were leaving their temple when a napalm raid descended onto innocent civilians, many of them children.
The photo is also featured prominently in the War Remnants Museum in Saigon.
Kim Phuc is still alive and tours the world giving inspirational talks, interestingly, Chef has met her, she stayed in his hotel and as we’d read the books and knew who she was he got to say hi.
We have more war-related tours of Vietnam lined up towards the DMZ.
Of course, they’ve already experienced the extent of the bombing in Laos as part of America’s campaign against the Vietnamese supply routes, the kids’ knowledge about this tragic period of history deepens every day.
So a big thumbs up, a fun, easy, educational day, no stress, no worries, no extra cash. We had plenty of time at the Cao Dai temple and the visit was timed perfectly for the non-ceremony.
The bus was comfortable enough but the air-con struggled a bit. On this tour we were their guests, we use Get Your Guide and we’re always happy to recommend them, we are never required to give good reviews, all opinions are our own, as always.
Our driver was great and I didn’t fear for our lives even once, that’s always a bonus! We enjoyed the additional stop at the craft facility for the disabled, others on the bus complained about it (the same ones that complained about the shooting range being shut). There was absolutely no hard sell and it was an interesting thing to see. Need more Vietnam travel? Head to our full Vietnam travel blog and guide.
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Cu Chi Tunnels is one of the famous must-see attractions that many tourists who are interested in the history of the Vietnam War would love to visit once they came to Vietnam.
I really like some of your photos!!! Can I get some pictures to post on my website?
I look forward to receiving your approval
Thank you so much
No, sorry, they are copyright protected and not for sale.
From these two places, Cu Chi tunnels made a bigger impression on me. I looked at the war in Vietnam differently by visiting them.
Oh, such a great blog! It is our fortune when Vietnam is your favorite country. It is expected that Vietnam will be always on your bucket list and you’ll come back Vietnam soon to explore the new lands where you haven’t set foot on in Vietnam.
I did not enjoy my visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. I was quite disturbed by them, but I do accept that they have a significant place in the history of Vietnam.
Thanks for reminding me just how beautiful the The Cao Dai temple is.
Why disturbed Janine? For the second time I came away in awe of the Vietnamese, their determination and resourcefulness in the face of incredibly hard times.
Thanks for the recommendation to include both the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple into the same trip. I’ve been wanting to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels but hadn’t heard of the temple yet. The tunnels sound like such a fascinating insight into the war. I had no idea there was a shooting range there though – crazy to hear that the recoil back in 99 nearly broke your jaw!! I personally think that it would be best if it has indeed been repurposed to a paintball – I don’t know how I feel about firing guns in a place which is a memorial to war.
The temple is so beautiful – it’s so fantastic that your kids had the chance to experience such an educational tour.
It was the glory days of backpacking Meg. They used to say you could pay extra to shoot a cow and all sorts of bizarre stuff back then. I’m glad it’s shut too it was really dangerous but all the gap year kids ( and this gap year 30 year old) loved it.
Quite interesting read this. So sorry to hear the shooting range was shut, would have been fun to shoot some bullets like the old times. I’m hearing about Caodaism for the first time in all my life. The illuminati symbols are pretty scary though. Great read and glad your kids had fun. That’s what matters right?
I really want to get to Vietnam. This looks like a really cool experience you had. Love all the colors!
This is so interesting! The tunnels look so fascinating. Never been to Vietnam but whatever I Know of it, I never came across this tour. I loved your video of the tour. So well documented! 🙂 The part of people praying against the backdrop of splendid architecture is the best. The visit to the craftsmen would have been such an experience too, especially when there was no hard selling.
The tunnels I’ve heard before are pretty interesting, loved reading your experiences. I’d love to witness the Cao Dai temple, it looks amazing. Vietnam is such an interesting place, one I want to travel to more, your post has tempted me to explore this gorgeous land.
I’d probably be lucky to fit in the Western-sized tunnel – I saw a program about this area on TV a few years ago and couldn’t believe the size of the tunnels actually used during the war. The Cao Dai religion is fascinating – I’ve never heard of it before. A diverse tour like this that mixes war, religion and history with scenery and architecture sounds like a winner!!
That war is one sad part of history. Lots to learn lest history repeats itself.
I liked the local art and talent. Very informative and educational post.
We haven’t been to Vietnam but I am dying to go. I’ve never heard of caodaism before. It sounds like a really interesting blended religion. What a beautiful temple. The tunnels are particularly interesting.
I hadn’t until I read Kim Phuc’s book just before we arrived in Vietnam almost 20 years ago Rhonda. It’s well worth learning more about and Vietnam is one of our very favourite countries, a joy to visit. Wonderful people.